Separable top stop for multiple operated fasteners



Oct. 24, 1939. I H. J. MURPHY 2,177,599

SEPARABLE TOP STOP FOR MULTIPLE OPERATED FASTENERS Original Filed Feb.2'7, 1935 2! aacza 4% Patented a. 24, 1939 2,17 7,599

aum'reo STATES PATENT OFFICE SEPARABLE TOP STOP FOR MULTIPLE OPERATEDFASTENERS Howard J. Murphy, Greenwood, Mam, assignor to United-CarrFastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass a corporation of MassachusettsOriginal application February 27, 1935, Serial No. 8,538, now Patent No.2,114,747, dated April 19, 1938. Divided and this application October30, 1937, Serial No. 172,003

Claims. (01. 24-205) My invention relates to improvements in separabletop stops for slide fasteners. r

This application is a division of my co-pend- 4 ing application, SerialNo. 8,538, filed February In the drawing, which illustrates a preferredembodiment of my invention- Figure 1 is al front elevational view of theupper portion of a multiple operated fastening strip showing myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view similar to that of Fig. 1' but showingthe slider in full position to effect complete engagement with thefastener elements;

Fig. 3 is a rear view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing the manner bywhich complete disengagement of one of the stringers from the sliderbody may be can-led out when thefasteners have been accidentallydisengaged below the slider; e I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1. p

Referring to the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration ofmy improved top stop device, I have shown a stringer 2 in the form of atape having a beaded edge 2 and a stringer I having a beaded edge 8. Tothe bead of each stringer 2 and I I have attached a series of fastening.elements It which may be of any well known construction. I prefer,however, to use fastening elements, each of which has a proiection ii onone face and a recess II on the other face, as'illust'rated in Fig. 1. Ihave also provided a slider I. which moves relative to the fasteningelements It to engageand disengage them in the usual manner.

One trouble which has been encountered with fastening means of themultiple operated type has resulted from the fact that the fasteningelements it sometimes become accidentally disengaged below the sliderthereby preventing downward movement of the slider 'beyond the pointwhere the fasteners are disengaged. In order to make it easy .to placethe parts in proper operating positions after such an accident, I haveprovided a simple and emclent stop member :0 herein illustrated as beingsecured to the stringer 2 just beyond the upper end of the series offastening elements 08' secured to that stringer. This stop member, in mypreferred form, is provided with opposed stringer-engaging portions 2|2isecured to opposite sides of the stringer 2 as by rivets 22 andpreferably connected adjacent to the beaded edge 8 by a relativelynarrow beaded portion 23 adapted for purposes hereinafter described. Ido not wish to be limited by this particular construction of permostposition. Any other suitable means for accomplishing this purpose may beused. It will be noticed that I have provided two fastening elements 25at the uppermost end of the series of elements it on the stringer 5which do not engage with elements I t on the opposed stringer 2, butinstead areadapted merely to engage a wall of the slider I! (Fig. 2) soas to limit lateral movement of the slider relative to -the strip. Ihave attached to the stringer 5,

beyond the pair of non-engaging fastening ele- .ments 25, a clampingpiece 28 which acts mostly as a protector against displacement of thepair of elements 25 on that stringer. I

When the slider is moved toa position where it engages the ears 24-2. ofthe stop member 20 (Fig. 2), the stringers may be separated after thefastening elements it on respective stringers have become accidentallydisengaged below the slider by merely grasping them and pulling themapart laterally to disengage the fastener elements it of the respectivestringers. As the last two fastener elements it Just below the sliderare disengaged, then the non-engaging elements 25 and the clamping piece26 on the stringers 5 may be moved out of the bottom of the sliderbecause thev width of the head 23 of the stop member 20 is suflicientlynarrow to permit passage of the elements 25 and the clamping piece 26between the outer edge of the bead and the wall of the slider, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

After the stringer 5 has been pulled entirely:

free from the slider is, then the slider may be moved to the bottom ofthe stringer 2 and the bottom stop fastening means (not shown) may beengaged and the slider moved upwardly again properly to engage thefastening elements It.

Thus by my invention I have provided a simple and inexpensive means foreffectively permitting separation of the stringers of a multipleoperated device, when there has been an accidental separation below theslider, and thereby have provided a new and useful improvement in theart.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope of myinvention is best defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multiple operated slide fastener comprising, in combination,flexible stringers carrying opposed series of interengageable fastenerelements, an actuating slider movable longitudinally of the series forbringing the fastener elements of the opposed series into operativeengagement, said slider having a Y passage and spaced wings providedwith inwardly-directed edges forming the outer walls of converging guidechannels at the upper end of said slider and a single channel at itslower end, a one-piece top stop member secured toone of said stringershaving stop means adapted to abut said slider to limit fastener closuremovement thereof, said stop member having a portion of such dimensionsas to permit it to enter one of said guide channels when said sliderabuts said stop means, at least one clamping member adjacent the edge ofthe other stringer from that to which, said top stop member is secured,said clamping member being of such. dimensions as to permit it-to enterthe other of said channels when said slider abuts said stop means andhaving a thickness greater than the distance between inwardly-directededges of said wings preventing lateral movement of said stringer throughsaid wings, said interengageable elements terminating outside saidslider when said slider abuts said stop means and said stop member andsaid clamping member having combined widths at points'on the bodiesthereof which are less than the width of said, single channel therebypermitting said stringer having said clamping member to be removed fromsaid slider longitudinally downwardly thereof when said interengagingfastener elements have been disengaged.

2. A multiple operated slide fastener comprising, in combination,flexible stringers carrying opposed series of interengaging fastenerelements, an actuating slider movable longitudinally of the series forbringing fastener elements of the opposed series into operativeengagement, said slider having a Y passage and spaced wings providedwith inwardly-directed edges forming the outer walls of converging guidechannels at the upper end of said slider and a single channel at itslower end, a one-piece top stop member secured to one of said stringershaving stop means adapted to abut said slider to limit fastener closuremovement thereof, said stop member having a portion of such dimensionsas to permit it to enter one of said guide channels when said sliderabuts said stop means, at least one clamping member adjacent the edge ofthe other stringers from that to which said top stop member is secured,said clamping member being of such dimensions as to permit it to enterthe other of said channels when said slider abuts said stop means andhaving a thickness greater than the distance between inwardly-directededges of said wings preventing lateral movement of said stringer throughsaid wings, one of said members having an end portion disposed withinsaid single channel when said slider abuts said stop means and thecombined widths of said portion disposed within said single channel andsaid other member being lea than the width of said single channelthereby permitting said stringer having said clamping member to beremoved from said slider longitudinally downwardly thereof when saidinterengaging fastener elements have been disengaged.

3. A'multiple operated slide fastener comprising, in combination,'fiexible stringers carrying opposed series of interengaging fastenerelements, an actuating slider movable longitudinally ofthe series forbringing fastener elements of the opposed series into operativeengagement, said slider having a Y passage and spaced wings providedwith inwardly-directed edges forming .the outer walls of convergingguide channels at the upper end of said slider and a single channel atits lower end, a one-piece top stop member secured to one of saidstringers; havingstop means adapted to abut said slider to limitfastener closure movement thereof, said stop mem ber being of suchdimensions as to permit it to enter one of said guide channels todispose a portion thereof within said single channel when said sliderabuts said stop means, at least one clamping member adjacent the edge ofthe other stringer from that to which said top stop member is secured,said clamping member being of slider longitudinally'downwardly thereofwhen said interengaging fastener elements have been disengaged.

4. A multiple operated slide fastener comprising, in combination,flexible stringers carrying opposed series of interengaging elements, anactuating slider movable longitudinally of the series for bringingfastener elements of the opposed series into operative engagement, saidslider having a Y passage and spaced wings provided withinwardly-directed edges forming the outer walls of converging guidechannels at. the upper end of said slider and a single channel at itslower end, a one-piece top stop member secured to one of .said stringershaving stop means adapted to abut said slider to limit fastening closuremovement thereof, said stop member being of such dimensions as to permitit to enter one-of said guide channels to dispose a portion thereofsubstantially through. said channel when said slider abuts said stopmeans, at leastone clamping member adjacent the edge of the otherstringer from that to which said top stop member is secured, saidclamping member being of such dimensions as to permit it to enter theother of said channels and having a thickness greater thanthe distancebetween inwardlydirected edges of said wings preventing lateral movementof said stringer through said wings, said interengageable' elementsterminating adjacent the lower end of said slider and outside the samewhen said slider abuts said stop means, said portion of said stop memberdisposed within said single channel and said clamping member havingcombined widths which are less than the width of said single channelpermitting said stringer having said clamping member to be rev2,177,599- moved from said slider longitudinally down-' wardly thereofwhen said interengaging fastener elements have been disengaged.

5. A multiple operated slide fastener compris- 5 ing, in combination,flexible stringers carrying opposed series of interengaging elements, anactuating slider movable longitudinally of the series bringing fastenerelements of the opposed series into operative engagement, said sliderhav- 1o ing a Y passage and spaced wings provided with inwardly-directededges forming the outer walls of converging guide channels at the upperend of said slider and a single channel at its lower havinglaterally-extending stop means at its upper. end adapted to abut theupper end of said slider to limit closure movement thereof, said stopmember being of such dimensions as to permit it to enter one of saidguide channels to dispose a portion thereof substantially through saidchannel when said slider abuts said stop means, said portion of saidstop member disposed within said single channel and said clamping memberhaving combined widths which are less than the width of said singlechannel permitting said stringer having said clamping member to beremoved from said slider longitudinally downwardly thereof when saidinterengaging fastener elements have been disengaged.

nowann .1. MURPHY.

